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Karakatta dwellers oppose demolition of houses

Children playing on the streets of Karakatta area which is located on
the banks of River Krishna at Krishnalanaka in Vijayawada on Sunday | P
Ravindra Babu

VIJAYAWADA: The Krishna Karakatta Parirakshana Committee (KKPC)
staged a protest at Kodanda Rama Ghat in Krishnalanka of the city on
Sunday opposing demolition of houses for constructing bathing ghats,
ahead of Krishna Pushkarams.
People in the locality, who formed a
Parirakshana Committee, had been protesting for some time now ever since
the officials proposed to demolish their houses. Recently, when the
revenue officials visited the locality for a survey, they were
obstructed and forced to return without conducting the survey.
Mostly, they consist of fishermen, washermen, construction labour, domestic workers, lorry drivers and daily wage earners.
“If
displaced, we will lose our livelihood. Though officials proposed to
demolish our houses, there have been no talks of rehabilitation,” fumed B
Kondala Rao, a 57-year-old lorry driver from Ranadheer Nagar. The
colony came into existence 60 years ago on the Karakatta and Rao was
born there.
Several families in the colonies on the Karakatta are
angry with Vijayawada East Constituency MLA Gadde Rammohan Rao and Chief
Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for not keeping their promises about
constructing a retaining wall and issuance of pattas to their houses.
“With
our vote bank, Gadde Ram Mohan won the election with huge majority.
Now, he is backstabbing us, without delivering his promises made before
elections,” alleged KKPC vice-president Jogi Koteswara Rao.
The
KKPC members also alleged that government was only demolishing the
houses so the contracts can be given to Chinese firms, which bagged the
deal for beautification of Vijayawada riverfront. They decided to take
out ‘Chalo Corporation’ on July 12 demanding the authorities to withdraw
the proposal and construct a retaining wall along with issuing pattas
to their houses.